ELL Parent Center reports high District 68 participation; 29 parents completed 'Parents in School' pilot

Sabia Patel, representing the ELL Parent Center, presented the center’s annual report to the Skokie School District 68 board, calling the program’s mission "to educate, engage, and empower ELL families." She told the board the center runs nine in-person classes (24 hours per week) provided by four teachers and reported approximately 768 hours of in-person instruction between September and the current meeting.

Patel gave detailed participation counts: 68 total responses to the center’s outreach for the "Parents in School" program, 41 of those responses came from District 68, 36 parents were selected after interviews, and 29 completed the program. She also said 48 students participated in CASAS field testing and that the center awarded Target gift cards totaling about $1,570 to participants. "The vision and mission of the ELL parent center is to educate, engage, and empower ELL families," Patel said during her presentation.

Patel reviewed community events and partnerships the center ran this year, including four major outreach events (CDL training, public-benefits information in partnership with the Middle Eastern Immigrant and Refugee Alliance, LAHEAP application assistance with MORE, and a women’s wellness workshop in collaboration with Arab American Family Services). She noted that the center is listed in the National Literacy Directory and is a Grow with Google partner that provides free Google career certificate access; as of the report 33 learners were progressing in those independent Google courses.

Board members asked about why District 68 accounted for a large share of participation; Patel said the district’s local demographics and the center’s location inside an accessible state facility make it easier for parents to attend. Dr. Griggs and other board members thanked Patel and the center for the report and the partnerships with district staff.